Target and method of making same

ABSTRACT

A visually and thermally realistic target for firearms shooting practice.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to visually and thermally realistic targets forfirearms and missiles. Specifically, this invention relates to visuallyand thermally realistic targets for shooting practice and a method ofmaking such targets.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Various law enforcement and military groups practice the handling ofpotentially dangerous and problematic situations and have a need fortargets that are visually and thermally realistic. Realistic targets areuseful for practicing activities necessary to resolve potentialconflicts and threats such as attacks conducted from civilian andmilitary vehicles. Similarly, hunters and sportsmen practice shootingusing realistic game animal targets such as deer, moose, elk and thelike.

Technologies have been developed that include infrared detectors thatcollect thermal data in an effort to distinguish between decoys and realtargets and to identify the true nature of the target. For example, ifthe threat or target is a human being or a vehicle, thermal sensors candetect and identify the source of heat by matching a thermal patternemanating from the target with heat patterns emitted by known objects.The use of thermal and visual sensing allows not only differentiationand identification of real and decoy targets but also betterclassification of the object observed.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a decoy or target that has both the visual andthermal characteristics of a real world object to make practice andtraining effective and realistic. More specifically, this inventionrelates to a visually and thermally realistic target for shootingpractice and a method of creating such target.

In detail, the invention comprises a visually realistic object havingheat generating devices that emit thermal radiation having definedpatterns.

The method of creating the target comprises the steps of:

-   -   creating a mold defining a cavity representative of an object;    -   covering at least a part of the mold with a heater;    -   controlling the location of the heater within the mold;    -   charging the mold with a measured amount of powdered polymeric        material;    -   rotating and heating the mold to melt the polymeric powder and        coat the surface of the mold to create a target having a        visually realistic shape and incorporate the heater therein;    -   cooling the mold to fix the molded target; and    -   removing the target from the mold.

This invention further comprises the step of providing energy to theheater for causing emission of thermal radiation therefrom creating athermal image of a real world object.

Still further, this invention comprises coloring the heater to achieve arealistic visual appearance in the molded target.

A primary object of this invention is to produce an object for use as atarget that is visually and thermally realistic.

Another object of the invention is to create a visually and thermallyrealistic target wherein the heater is a thermosetting polymercomprising nickel and polyethelyne powder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a front view a two dimensional target.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the target of FIG. 1 including arepresentation of molded in place heaters and electrical circuit foractuating the heaters in the target of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a three dimensional target.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the three dimensional target of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A polymeric object for use as a firearms shooting target havingrealistic visual and thermal characteristics is made by a rotationalmolding process. During the molding process, an electrically actuatedheater comprising a mixture of nickel and thermosetting polymer powdersand conductive strips or ribbons of similar materials is molded in placein the object to generate an electrically actuated thermal image that isrepresentative of the object being molded. The heat pattern may berepresentative of any animal, article or machine that radiates heat. Forexample, the pattern may represent heat from an internal combustionengine, transmission, exhaust, or tracks of a vehicle or the body of ananimal such as a human being.

Rotational molding is a manufacturing process that allows for design andproduction of two and three-dimensional objects.

The rotational molding process starts with a mold that is placed in amolding machine that has loading, heating, and cooling areas. Withinreason, the mold may represent the physical appearance of any desiredanimal or inanimate object such as a vehicle or weapon.

Rotational molding uses a polymeric powder, preferably polyethylenepowder. The process is a low pressure process and relies on an oven toheat the mold and melt the powder inside.

A measured quantity of polyethylene resin powder is loaded into themold, and the mold is moved into an oven where it is heated and rotatedabout two perpendicular axes, usually vertical and horizontal,concurrently. The molds are located in the oven and slowly rotate aboutthe perpendicular axes. The oven heats the mold and melts thepolyethylene powder or resin. The rotational speed, temperature, heatingand cooling times are controlled to produce the uniform thickness andother desired features in the finished part. The rotation of the moldabout perpendicular axes serves to allow gravity to move the powder andmolten polyethylene to achieve full coverage and a uniform thickness ofcoverage of molten polyethylene over the complete inner surface of themold.

When the molten polyethylene has fully coated the mold to a constantthickness, the mold moves into a cooling chamber where a combination ofair and water are used to cool the mold and turn the molten polyethyleneback into a solid.

The mold continues to rotate during the cooling cycle so as to retainthe constant wall thickness. After cooling the objects are released andremoved from the mold.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, targets 10 and 210 produced bythe above molding process are used by the military and law enforcementagencies for crisis situation training and practice and are often hitwith bullets and other projectiles and punctured. With sufficient hits,the targets will be destroyed and must be replaced. The presentinvention includes features such as wide electrical input and groundconductor ribbons and conductive graphics. The ribbons and graphics willoperate despite damage from projectiles thereby reducing the frequencythat replacement of the targets is required.

The graphics used for creating the thermal images are conductivegraphics manufactured and sold by Mold In Graphics Systems, PO Box 1650,Clarkdale, Ariz. 86324. The graphics are a mixture of polyethylenepowder and a conductive metallic powder, such as nickel. The graphicsare manufactured in the form of decals that can be placed in any desiredlocation in a mold.

To start the process of making the target 10 of FIG. 1, a mold isconstructed in a manner that will produce the desired shape and contourof the target 10. The target 10 is a silhouette of a military tank andincludes portions representing a turret 12, main body 14, and tracks 16and 18.

As shown in FIG. 2, the decals containing thermal image graphics orheaters 22, 24, 36 and 38 are placed at appropriate locations in themold. Specifically, the graphics 22 and 24 are placed in the mold so asto be properly positioned to generate heat and emit radiation thatsimulates the heat pattern of a radiator, engine, etc. in tank body 14.The graphics 36 and 38 are located in the mold so as to generate heat,emit radiation that simulates heat from tracks 16 and 18.

The polyethylene powder necessary to create the primary article, i.e.,the target 10, is put in the mold and the heating cycle is started.Because one of the materials of the thermal image graphic decal ispolyethylene powder, it melts with the powdered polyethylene and thethermal image graphic becomes a physical part of the molded article.

The mold is closed and placed into the oven. After heating and cooling,the target 10 with the thermal image graphics properly located thereinis complete.

The thermal image graphics 22, 24, 36 and 38 are constructed as a powdermatrix comprising nickel or other conductive metal powder mixed withpolyethylene powder fixed on a decal or other device to secure thepowders in place during the locating and molding process. The metalpowder in the thermal image graphic is designed to have a highelectrical resistance. When a voltage is applied to the graphic, theresistance to current generates heat and radiates a thermal image thatcorresponds to the configuration of the graphic. In the specific heaterof the preferred embodiment, at about 9 volts, the resistance of theelectric current raises the temperature of the graphic by about 10degrees Fahrenheit above ambient. In the preferred embodiment, it takesabout 2/10 of a watt to achieve a 10 degree Fahrenheit temperature risefor about every 10 square inches of graphic. The shape of the graphicbecomes the heat pattern that is emitted. The shape and location of thegraphic in the target 10 depends upon the effect desired for the target.For example, the headlights of a vehicle can have a different thermalsignature pattern and be located in a different position in the moldthan the engine of that vehicle.

The invention also uses a “wire” graphic or lead 32 and 34 to get theelectric power to the above-described conductive graphic. This wiregraphics 32 and 34 are generally constructed in a manner that is similarto the thermal image graphic 22, 24, 36 and 38 but the wire graphic 32,34 has a higher concentration of conductive metallic powder and lowerresistance than the thermal image graphic. The additional conductivemetal allows the voltage to travel through the wire graphic 32, 34 witha lower electrical resistance and gets the voltage to the thermal imagegraphic 22, 24, 36 and 38 with less heating the wire graphics 32, 34.Hence, the wire graphics 32, 34 create no detectable thermal image.

As stated above, conductive thermal image graphics 22, 24, 36 and 38 areplaced in a predetermined spot on the inner surface of the mold. Thiscreates a thermal image or signature for a portion of the molded objectsuch as a vehicle engine, radiator, headlight, etc. The wire graphics32, 34 are added in a pattern that provide positive and negativeelectrical leads to the conductive graphic. Normally the wire conductorsterminate at the bottom of the target 10 and the end user of the targetwould apply a connector, i.e., an alligator clip or otherwise, from anelectrical power source 30.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a two dimensional target 10 made with featuresof the present invention. In FIG. 1, the target 10 represents thesilhouette of a military tank. FIG. 1 shows the outline of a tank infull frontal view. In accordance with the present invention, the target10 has color, height and width giving the target 10 a realistic visualappearance of an actual vehicle.

The visual realism can be increased by adding the third dimension ofdepth to a target.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a three dimensional target 210. The target 210 isalso a representation of a military tank and includes a turret 212, mainbody 214 and tracks 216 and 218. In the tank of FIG. 3, the heaters orthermal image graphics for the various patterns would be placed inlocations similar to those shown in FIG. 2 to achieve an emitted heatpattern that is realistic for the vehicle represented.

Referring to FIG. 2, the concentration of the nickel particles in thepolyethylene powder determines the electrical resistance and henceamount of heat generated by the thermal image graphic heaters 22, 24, 36and 38, i.e., lower concentrations of particles have higher resistanceto current flow and therefore generate higher temperatures than denserconcentrations of nickel particles in the conductive ribbon 32.Similarly constructed heaters are designed and shaped to simulate heatradiation from the engine 22, tracks 36 and 38 and radiator 24.Electrical leads or ribbon conductors 32 and ground leads or ribbonconductors 34 are provided to conduct electricity to and from the heatgenerating graphics 22, 24, 36 and 38. The ribbons 32 and 34 are madewith higher concentrations of nickel powder than the heat generatingpattern 22, 24, 36 and 38. The higher concentration of nickel in theribbons 32 and 34 reduces the resistance to current flow and hence thetemperature thereof. Thus, the ribbons or leads 32 and 34 do not show upin thermal images of the target 10. The ribbons 32 and 34 are relativelywide help to prolong the life of the target 10 by making the electricalcircuit less susceptible to catastrophic failure if one or more of theribbons 32 or 34 is damaged or severed. The electrical circuit alsoincludes a battery or other source of electrical energy 30 to provideelectrical energy to the ribbons 32 and 34 and heat generating patterns22, 24, 36 and 38.

1. A method of creating a visually and thermally realistic objectcomprising the steps of: creating a mold for producing a visuallyrealistic object; placing an electrothermal heat generating materialcomprising a mixture of conductive material powder and a polymericpowder in at least a part of the mold; controlling the location of theheat generating material within the mold for generating an infraredimage representative of a real world object; providing an electricalconductor in said mold to said heater and from said heater to ground;charging the mold with a measured amount of powdered polymeric material;rotating and heating the mold to melt the polymeric powder and coat thesurface of the mold to create an object having a visually realisticshape and incorporate the electrothermal material therein; cooling themold to fix the molded object; and removing the target from the mold. 2.The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: providing a sourceof electrical energy to the electrical conductor and heater; andenergizing the electrothermal heat generating material to create athermal image of said object.
 3. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising the step of: adding a coloring agent to the mixture ofpolymeric powder and the electrothermal heat generating material toprovide greater visual realism in the molded object.
 4. A visually andthermally realistic target comprising: a polymeric object including anelectrically actuated heater incorporated in the object providing avisual and infrared image that is similar to the visual and infraredoutput of a real object.
 5. The visually and thermally realistic targetof claim 4 wherein the heater comprises a mixture of nickel andpolyethelene powders.